Stud claims improved averages and clearances compared to 2025 sale results
A top class line-up of Angus bulls featuring new and old bloodlines were pursued by new and old buyers at the Little Meadows Angus on-property bull sale at Dardanup last week, resulting in the stud recording a $15,000 top price, as well as an improved average and clearance on last year.
The Golding family presented 74 well-bred and well-grown bulls, packed with leading Australian and international genetics and they were supported well by a sizeable list of buyers, who know the benefits of using Little Meadows bulls.
Right throughout, the 43 registered buyers around the ring and three on AuctionsPlus from as far east as Esperance and Moorine Rock and north to Dandaragan, were consistent in their bidding, ensuring a majority of the bulls found new homes.
Sale summary
- (Under the hammer results)
- Offered: 74
- Sold: 66
- Top: $15,000
- Gross: $542,500
- Average: $8220
The sale was again on AuctionsPlus where the catalogue received 1948 views which helped yield three active bidders who placed 21 online bids across seven lots, resulting in six bulls selling through the online platform to two different buyers.
When the final bull was knocked down by the Elders selling team, led by Elders auctioneer Pearce Watling, and the numbers crunched, the stud had cleared 66 of the 74 bulls offered to 29 different buyers for an average of $8220, which was up $647 on last year's average of $7573 when the stud sold 62 bulls from 72 offered to 26 different buyers.
Mr Watling said the Golding family presented a very good even draft of bulls from start to finish which were backed with good performance data.
"The bulls presented extremely well and their temperament was outstanding, the line-up was a credit to the Golding's breeding program and their investment in genetics," Mr Watling said.
"It was a solid sale throughout with buyers selective and operating to their own individual budgets.
"There was buying support from Dandaragan in the north, across to Esperance and out into the Wheatbelt as well as from throughout the South West and Great Southern, showing Little Meadows bulls can go anywhere and perform.
"Overall it was a very even sale from start to finish with consistent and solid bidding throughout and buyers put together good teams at their individual budgets.
"Once again the stud was prepared to meet the market and this allowed for all buying budgets to be catered for in the sale, with a number of bulls selling between $7000 to $10,000.
"It was pleasing to see the stud record an improvement in average and clearance on last year, following the trend of other sales already held this season."
With an even line-up of bulls, picking a standout wasn't easy but in the end there was one, which stood out just a little bit more in the eyes of the buyers and sold for the sale's $15,000 top price.
The bull to hit the $15,000 mark was Little Meadows Versailles V165, in lot two.
Mr Watling took an opening bid of $8000 on the well-balanced, quiet sire and the price quickly rose from there.
Eventually after some spirited bidding between a couple of interested parties, the 912 kilogram bull was pencilled down in the clerking sheets to return buyer of more than 20 years, Wes Graham, WJ & FJ Graham, Esperance, operating on AuctionsPlus.
The classy, late April 2024-drop, ET-bred bull is by Mandayen Reebok R442 and out of Little Meadows Edwina R11, which is a daughter of Merridale Nutshell N16.
Along with impressing phenotypically, Versailles V165 also has a very good set of Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs) of -3.7 for calving ease direct (DIR), +0.7 for calving ease daughters (DTRS), -4.4 gestation length (GL), +5.8 birthweight (BWT), +63, +117 and +147 for 200, 400 and 600-day weights, +134 mature cow weight (MCW), +0.43 mature cow body condition (MBC), +7.6 mature cow height (MCW), +18 milk, +2.7 scrotal size (SS), -3.8 days to calving (DTC), +89 carcase weight (CWT), +8.2 EMA, -1.7 rib fat, -1.2 P8 fat, +0.8 retail beef yield (RBY), +1.7 IMF, -0.45 feed efficiency (NFI-F), +17 docility (DOC), +0.60 claw set, +0.66 foot angle and +1.06 leg angle.
With these figures, Versailles V165 ranks in the top 5pc of the breed for 400-day weight, NFI-F and foot angle, top 10pc for 200 and 600-day weights, CWT and claw set plus top 15pc for MCW and MBC.
It has index values of +$216 for the $A index and +$390 for $A-L index.
Mr Graham said Versailles V165 caught his eye immediately when he saw the bull's video and photo.
"He is well-shaped, nice and soft with good muscle expression and he is also well-balanced," Mr Graham said.
"He also has a balanced set of figures for growth and carcase traits.
"He is in the top echelon for growth while his carcase figures are also very good.
"He fits our criteria for sire selection extremely well."
Along with Versailles V165 excellent phenotype and figures, Mr Graham said he was also chasing the bull for its bloodline as it would be an outcross for his herd.
"I think he will breed very consistently when we use him over cows in our herd," Mr Graham said.
Along with buying Versailles V165, Mr Graham purchased another two bulls to finish with a team of three at an average of $12,333.
The other two bulls Mr Graham purchased, both at $11,000, were the 946kg Little Meadows Vaughan V16 from lot 21 and the 940kg Little Meadows Vibrant V129 from lot 26.
The ET-bred Vaughan V16 is by Waitara GK Safekeeping S56 and ranks in the top 5pc for 200, 400 and 600-day weights and DOC plus top 10pc for MCW, SS and CWT, while the AI-bred Vibrant V129 is by Milwillah Shane S23 and is in the top 1pc for MCW and MCH as well as top 5pc for 200, 400 and 600-day weights and CWT.
Mr Graham said Vaughan V16 and Vibrant V129 were good safe bulls which were consistent across the board in terms of EBVs for all traits.
"They will also be outcross bloodlines for our herd," he said.
"We like buying from the stud as they select and use Australian bred bulls, which I prefer as they breed more consistently.
"The Little Meadows cattle are consistent across the herd and the stud's bulls also throw consistently for us.
"Another reason I like to buy from the stud is because the Goldings are good people to deal with."
This year the Graham family will join 2300 breeders including a small nucleus herd to breed bulls for their own use.
The Graham's herd calves in June/July and the calves are weaned in late February and they usually start selling their steers in June at about 12 months of age at 360kg after they have been backgrounded onfarm for four-six months.
All of the Grahams calves are sold to a Wheatbelt lotfeeder who prepares them for the domestic market.
The second top price was $14,000 and it was recorded on three occasions.
The first bull to hit $14,000 was the 964kg Little Meadows Valetta V157 in lot four, when it was sold to the Shine family, DJ Shine & Co, Roelands.
Valletta V157 is a full ET-bred brother of the sale's top-priced bull Versailles V165 and it ranks in the top 5pc for DOC, top 10pc for CWT, top 15pc for 400-day weight and RBY plus top 20pc for 600-day weight.
In addition to securing Valetta V157, the Shines also purchased two other bulls to finish with an average of $9833.
The second bull to hit $14,000 in the line-up was Little Meadows Viper V28 in lot 24 when it was purchased by MH Williams & JA McLarty, Pinjarra.
The 932kg, AI-bred bull is by Milwillah Share S23 and is in the top 10pc for NFI-F, top 15pc for 200-day weight, RBY and DOC as well as top 20pc for GL, SS and claw set.
The final bull to make $14,000 in the team was the 844kg Little Vortex V34 in lot 25 and it was purchased by Castledene Enterprises, Kirup.
Vortex V34 is an AI-bred son of Mandayen Reebok R422 and it ranks in the top 5pc for SS, top 10pc for 400-day weight, CWT and claw set plus top 20pc for 200 and 600-day weights, DTC and foot angle.
Hitting the $13,000 third top price was Little Meadows Vinny V60 in lot 47 when it sold to the Trigwell family, Whispering Pines stud, Yoongarillup.
The June 2024-drop bull is by Little Meadows Target Man T43 and its EBVs rank it in the top 5pc for CWT, RBY and NFI-F, top 10pc for 600-day weight, EMA and claw set plus top 15pc for DTRS, SS, DOC and foot angle.
There were a number of other buyers to secure bulls at the top end of the market including three that paid up to $12,000.
The most influential of these buyers in terms of not only price but numbers was return buyer Epasco Farms, Condingup, represented by farm manager Nick Ruddenklau.
He worked his way through the catalogue and put together a team of six bulls to a high of $12,000 and at an average of $8750, making him one of the biggest individual buyers in the sale.
At $12,000, Mr Ruddenklau purchased Little Meadows Vertex V127 a Mandayen Reebok R442 son which is in the top 2pc for BWT and P8 fat.
He said they had been breeding their own bulls in the past but they were now looking towards buying more and not breeding them, which was why they purchased a sizeable draft.
"I was looking for bulls with good fats as that is important when it comes to our cows but also wanted good growth as well," Mr Ruddenklau said.
"They also had to have good smooth coats, plus a good rump and a good topline.
"We like buying from Little Meadows as we like the stud's breeding philosophy where they focus strongly on maternal traits."
This year Epasco Farms will join 1100 cows for a March/April calving and 300 heifers for a February/March calving.
Mr Ruddenklau said generally they carry through the top two-thirds of their steers and sell them as a grass finished product in September/October at 16-18 months old.
Other buyers to go to $12,000 were VJ & CM Cavanagh, Quindanning, which purchased two bulls to a top of $12,000 and an average of $10,500, while dairy farmers, the May family, Ranchway Pty Ltd, Cowaramup, went home with a single sire at $12,000.
The other buyers matching Mr Ruddenklau in the volume buyers stakes were Peter Hough and son Darby, 5HP Grazing, Esperance, who also secured six bulls to a top of $9000 and an average of $7333.
The Houghs were chasing a mix of cow and heifer bulls and they were looking for bulls which were well-covered, well-muscled and walked well.
Peter Hough said they had bought from the stud for more than 10 years and had always been happy with the performance of the stud's genetics.
"We always get good results with the stud's bulls and they have longevity," Mr Hough said.
"The Little Meadows bulls breed really nice productive females which is important to us as we have a self-replacing herd.
"The Goldings also provide good back up service."
The Houghs are planning to join 1000 breeders this year including 150 heifers for a March/April calving on their home farm and a winter calving on another farm.
Other buyers to add competition to the sale, by buying larger teams were EB & G Quick, Donnybrook, which purchased four bulls to a high of $8500 and an average of $7000, while Skaton Nominees, Brunswick, purchased four bulls all at $6000.
Rounding out the buyers to impact the sale was Allen Bentham, WA Livestock Agency, who was bidding on behalf of a number of different clients based mainly in the South West and Peel regions.
During the sale Mr Bentham secured nine bulls for between $6000 to $11,000 for his clients as he chased bulls that had good figures and were well-structured for both heifer and cow joinings.
